


shadows in the water

by Pomfry



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, I also have a fascination with Death being sentient I guess, I just will not stop with these aus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 13:48:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12170112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomfry/pseuds/Pomfry
Summary: The Lazarus Pit is more alive than anyone ever expected.So when Talia sinks herself into the poison green water, pregnant, but not for long, with her only son, the Pit takes and takes and takes.It draws attention of another being.And Damian's left stranded in the aftermath.





	shadows in the water

**Author's Note:**

> Bless ideas that come from washing dishes.
> 
> I don't think I'll continue this, but it was fun to write! :3

Ra's comes up gasping, screaming as the Pit heals his wounds, and he has to fight to keep his mind together.

The Pit takes and takes, but Ra's has the will of a dragon, and he  _ will not yield. _

The Pit eases it's grip and let's him go, and Ra's climbs out of the glowing green pool, legs shaky and vision uneven, but he's alive, and that's all that matters.

The Pit doesn't let go, not all the way, but there's no way that Ra's could know that, so the magic in the pools bubbles and hums, and Death shadows him as he walks.

It's his first time healing in a Lazarus Pit. It won't be the last.

 

\--

 

Damian's born with the blood of the al Ghuls running in his veins, and for that his eyes are green.

Green as the Pit that has shaped his family for centuries, the Pit that has claimed them as theirs, and he hasn't even been soaked in it's depths, but, still, it's magic reaches out and _ latches on. _

Damian is an al Ghul, nevermind his father, and so Death is at his heels the moment he's born.

For thousand of years, Death has done this, followed those who uses his pools, but only the al Ghuls have done it more than once.

And only Damian could see Death the moment he first he opened his eyes.

Ra's can see Death now, as can Talia, but the Pit has chosen Damian, little, tiny Damian, and allows Death the rest.

Damian's eyes are more green than they should be, more bright than human DNA should allow, but when have the al Ghuls ever cared about what is natural in human beings? When has the Pit ever cared about the natural order of the world?

Damian's born with the Pit’s magic at his fingertips, and he shall never truly die, for Death favors him.

Only Damian could see Death the second he could see, and for that, he is blessed.

 

Damian's born with better healing than he should have, and Talia takes one look at his eyes and the sample of his blood that glows a brilliant green in patches, and knows it's not her genetic meddling that caused this.

She takes her son to the Pit, lays him at it's shore, and watches.

The water reaches out, a thin strand of emerald, and wraps itself around her baby, and drags him into the water.

All the while, Damian is giggling at Death who hovers beside him.

Any other mother would be terrified, but Talia is an al Ghul; the Pit will not harm her son.

Damian comes back five minutes later, the Pit water sliding off his skin, and Death raises one finger and places it on his forehead.

At this, Talia darts forward, because no one, not even an al Ghul, can be touched by Death and not lose their life.

The Pit snarls at her, the water overflowing as Damian starts to cry, and Talia still runs through the burn that the Pit causes, because  _ that is her son, what are they doing- _

Death holds up a hand, stopping her in her tracks, and through it all Damian sobs in pain as the temperature becomes blistering cold and scorching hot and Talia can only stare.

It stops, suddenly, Death vanishing as the Pit calms, and Talia snatches her son off the stone and gazes in horror at the Pit as Damian wails into her chest, and she pats his back and gently shushes him.

“What have you done,” she whispers, and she can almost hear the laughter as the Pit bubbles at her feet, and for the first time in her life, Talia is terrified of Death and the poison waters of the Lazarus Pits.

 

\--

 

_ Little human, you are hurt. _

Damian scoffs and bites his lip as he pulls a bandage tight around his bicep, sucking in a sharp breath at the burst of pain.

_ Little human, I can kill who hurt you,  _ Death insists, a shadow in the corner, and the Pit hisses in his mind.

“I'm fine,” Damian says, and stands on trembling legs, head spinning.

**Al Ghul, you are not fine,** the Pit snarls, and Damian winces as the Pit water in his blood reacts to it's origin’s anger, fire in his veins as his wounds are healed violently.

He falls to his knees, body screaming and his eyes burn with tears, and he knows his eyes are glowing poison green.

“What did I say about doing that,” he snaps, and the Pit bubbles in satisfaction, smugness in every drop.

Death chuckles, ice creeping up Damian's arms as it drifts closer, and Damian flinches as it raises a hand, the skeleton finger barely brushing his cheek.

_ We will not listen, _ Death tells him, and Damian grits his teeth, because he _ knows that. _

In his nine years of life, never once has the Pit or Death listened to his commands; he's like a fascinating project to them, an anomaly in the system, and it's utterly humiliating, but it's something Damian's learned to live with.

But-

But they  _ do  _ listen to his requests, to his questions, and they only answer half of the time, but it's _ something. _

And he's been raised to take what he can get, to cling to life with every shred of his being no matter how empty he feels, and now is no different.

“What is my mother planning,” he asks, watching Death intently and tilts his head to translate the gurgling of the Pit.

Death gives a whisper of a language long lost and scarlet shark teeth appear in the darkness.

_ Oh,  _ Death laughs shrilly.  _ Oh, little human, you will not like it. _

“But what is she planning,” Damian presses, and the Pit cackles.

**It's a competition of survival,** the Pit says, the rush of the river behind the words.  **If you survive, you get to meet your father.**

Damian leans back on his hands, staring at the assassin on the floor in front of him, blood pooling around her, and smiles, a little broken, a little tired, and says, “I suppose we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if I do.”

Death laughs, the Pit guffaws in glee, and Damian closes his eyes.

The stench of rotting flesh fills his nose, and it makes him sick.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always loved and brighten up my day and are saved in my Gmail.
> 
> Also! Here's my [Tumblr.](http://nikescaret.tumblr.com) Come visit and chat with me if you want!


End file.
